Remember when New Line/Warner Bros. announced that Andy Serkis would direct “The Lord Of The Rings” spin-off and prequel, “The Hunt For Gollum,” with Peter Jackson producing, and the film would be a two-part movie?
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Well, Apparently, Ian McKellen, who said the film would be split into two, misspoke.
In a new Empire interview with “Lord Of The Rings” screenwriter Philippa Boyens, who will likely be involved at least as a producer, the producer/writer said ‘Hunt For Gollum’ won’t be two parts, but there is another secret ‘LOTR’ movie in the works.
“I can tell you definitively it isn’t two films!” Boyens said. “That was a genuine misunderstanding that happened because we’ve begun to work, conceptually, on two different live-action films. The first being ‘The Hunt For Gollum,’ the second one still to be confirmed.” Even as just one adventure, Boyens promised a spellbinding tale to be told in Serkis’ movie. “It’s quite an intense story, which falls after the birthday party of Bilbo and before the Mines Of Moria,” she explained, revealing that it essentially takes place midway through “The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Rings.” “It’s a specific chunk of incredible untold story, told through the perspective of this incredible creature.”
Why or how did Mckellen misinterpret what he was told? It appears that both films could include his character Gandalf, and he’ll at least appear in ‘The Hunt For Gollum.’
“We’re playing around with a number of ideas, but most of those ideas do include Gandalf,” Boyens admitted. “So Gandalf would potentially return for two live-action films.”
Additionally, Boyens told the magazine that more animated ‘LOTR’ films may be in the works if “The War Of The Rohirrim” is a hit later this year (the trailer may debut this weekend as part of New York Comic-Con, FYI).
“We have an absolute banger of a second film that would just be incredible as an anime,” she teased. “But let’s see if there’s an appetite for it.” There and back again, indeed. Hopefully, details on this potential second ‘LOTR’ film will be released soon.